Our Code
by HeavenlyTreeHillLife
Summary: Army wives inspired. (AU) (AH) Follow Elena, Bonnie, Elijah, Caroline, and Alaric. Five spouses. Who just happened to be married soldiers as they lean on another through deployment separation, raising teenagers, family drama, and what it really takes to be married into the army as they live by one code. Their code. (Summary sucks...give the story a shot?)
1. The start

**_Hey! Thanks for giving this story a chance..._**

**_Disclaimer: I do not own anything but the story line...and the submerging of two of my number one shows._**

**_I have wrote this before but delete it because...I was an army wife and that is how I got the idea. I love TVD and the show army wives but my husband died and writing this story just became to hard to do. So I stopped but looking back on this...so many people loved this story._**

**_If you read it before I have tweaked it some but also kept some stuff the same._**

**_Nothing is in this story as it is on TVD ...enjoy._**

* * *

_My name is Elena Gilbert. Icurrently live in Manhattan, New York where I was born and raised. I am single and twenty four years old. I take care of my fifteen year old brother and have since they died in a car accident when I was only seventeen years old._

It is amazing how your life can change in the blink of aneye and how much it does. It is amazing how much one decision can affect everyaspect of not only your life but everyone around you as well. That's whathappened with Elena Gilbert.

Three and a half days. That was all it took for her life tochange in more ways than she could count on her fingers.

"Elena are you sure about this" April Young one of  
her oldest and longest friends asked her as they packed up her room. "I  
mean you have known the guy for… what a week? You don't just go out and marry  
someone you know for a week! Not in this life. Don't get me wrong Stefan seems  
like a great guy… but the key word there is seems how can you be sure about  
this when you don't know him"?

"Have you ever been in love April"? Elena asked a  
reasonable question.

"Once you remember Leo in fact if I remember just  
perfectly you hated Leo"

"I did but that doesn't mean that I wasn't happy for  
you. I am not asking for you to understand this or to be ok with it… right now  
but I am asking you to be happy for me and accept it for me".

April folded her arms and sat down she was running out of  
argument to talk Elena into staying or getting an annulment… or coming to her  
senses and just never call the guy back. It wasn't Elena to do this. She had a  
five year relationship and said no to marriage because of Jeremy…

"What about Jeremy? " April asked out loud  
convinced that would help her current situation "I mean you said no to  
Thomas' proposal because you didn't want to move Jeremy to a foreign place  
before he graduates high school and that was just last year… now what has  
changed".

"Maybe nothing really except the guy April I am begging  
you to just be on my side… please. Everything you have said… you're right. I am  
being irrational and this could be the worst mistake I ever made but it doesn't  
feel like it. It feels right. I married a guy the third day I knew him and now  
I am taking my brother and myself down to South Carolina of all places far away  
from everyone and everything we ever knew. My job is here, my life is here,  
you're here, my parents are buried here but Stefan can't be here. He is in the  
army and I am now his wife he can't compromise but I can. So please be on my  
side".

April looked at Elena who was somewhat crying and somewhat  
smiling. For the first time in a long time she was happy her best friend was  
truly happy and maybe April was being selfish trying to take that away from  
her.

April knew that Elena was scared about moving away from the  
one place she had ever been in her whole life she didn't even move away for  
college. She wasn't sure about it but the important thing was her best friend  
was sure about it. She was positive.

"I am on your side" April said those dreaded words "but can I  
still worry? I mean not just about you but Jeremy too why don't you call  
Katherine to come take care of him she is your sister"?

"My sister who hasn't offered to help with Jeremy or looked  
back since our parents died so that is out of the option we talk… maybe once a  
year? She doesn't care… and she won't".

* * *

It was late or maybe it just felt like it was. She was tired and looked as though she was strung out on every type of drug known to man but the fact of the matter was Caroline… Doctor Caroline Lockwood had been working for nearly twenty four hours straight. It was her job. She didn't complain it's why she became a surgeon but she knew that tomorrow was that day.

That day that came around that left her in tears. The day that left her heart broken and alone to pick up the pieces by herself but she couldn't show fear or she couldn't show that she was as scared as she truly was because that's the way it was.

She was ready to go home and spend one last night with her husband before he left to God knows where for God knows how long but she knew that wouldn't happen when she seen a nurse walking directly towards her in quite a rush.

"What do you got for me" Caroline asked the nurse who had only been at the hospital for three days but Caroline already knew that her name was Alexis but she liked to be called Ali because Lexi was too original and overused, she has been married twice first ended in divorce and the second her husband died, she had two kids one from each of her marriage, and she had lived in south Caroline her entire life, and her favorite thing Ali worked great under pressure.

"I didn't want to disturb you from surgery" Ali began referring to the six hour surgery Caroline has just walked out of from amputating both arms and one leg off of a man since he had come back from overseas and had to calm him down letting him know his career in the army was basically over "a girl was just admitted about thirty minutes ago from a basketballaccident she is in the E.R. Doctor Lowes said to find you to take care of it I gave her some morphine to numb the pain but you need to go look at her. I called her father but he was unreachable but I will keep trying".

Caroline thanked her and quickly found her way to the empty E.R aside from the young girl sitting in the bed flipping through the television in front of her.

"Lillian Michelson" Caroline read the name from the file in her hand.

"Lily" the young girl corrected her with smile.

"You want to tell me what happened to you Lily".

"I shot for two but somehow I ended up face down in the floor… in front of the whole school and half of everyone who lives on Post" she said with more than a hint of aggravation in her voice she didn't seem particularly happy to be at the hospital "it hurts really badly".

Caroline sat down in the chair next to the bed without even having to remove the wrap that covered her arm she could already tell it was broken in more than one place.

"Ok" Caroline said observing the girls blue nearly violet leg "we need to get you into an X-ray".

"What will that do" she heard and turned around to see a man walking over to her dressed head to toe in an army uniform it wasn't exactly unfamiliar to see "I'm her father Major Niklaus Michelson".

"It will determine how much damage is done to see if I need to do surgery or what my next action should be to help her. Hello Major I am Doctor Lockwood Trauma surgeon".

"Trauma" Lily asked with a smile "then why are you working on a silly broken arm"?

"Well for one it is trauma" Caroline answered smiling "but truthfully the hospital here on post is lacking terribly in Doctors and even fewer are on call right now not to mention there isn't a lot of trauma here on post which is something to be grateful for and I enjoy working closer to my house. I like it here I get to do more than just trauma at times".

"You live on Post"?

"Yeah my husband is in the army".

"You look young… really young to be… a surgeon already" the Major told her.

"Well I was raised in the air force my mother so we moved around a lot like most kids and it was just easier to be on homeschooling. I never enjoyed being moved from place to place just when I started to get attached to someone and so I didn't have any friends but I had a hobby I loved to study. All day and all night it was my passion. I did it through the summer and on the weekend… I never stopped by the time I was only fifteen I had already graduated high school and started college it was the first time I actually attended a school".

Caroline knew better than to share her life story with someone while at work. It wasn't so much as forbidden but more frowned up on. However she didn't care. This was the most conversation the blond had all day she was going to take what she could get.

Until she was able to go home at least.

That's where the best conversations were.

"So you graduated college at the time you should have been graduating from high school"? Lily asked very amused.

"Yes and went straight to medical school".

"How old are you"?

"Lily" her father said "you don't need to pry that is rude apologize".

"Oh she is fine I will be thirty in two months I have been working here for a year it took me thirteen years to become a surgeon. It normally takes… elven but certain areas are harder to pursue and my husband being in the army... Moving around since we got married has complicated it but it's what I love to do. Like your dad he enjoys to protect and help his country by fighting for it I do that too but in another sense I stay here and heal those. I fight to save lives of those of this country".

* * *

The car was silent. It had been for hours. Elena didn't know  
if there was anything she could say to Jeremy that would make it better or not  
and Stefan had so much he wanted to say for both but he wasn't sure how he  
would bring it up or how his new brother in law would take anything.

It was Stefan's fault that they had to move and part of him  
felt guilty for that but part of him didn't. Part of him couldn't wait to start  
a family with the beautiful woman sitting in the passenger seat reading a book.

Looking through the rear view mirror Stefan wasn't all too surprised  
to find the young boy asleep with ear phones still attached to his ear. It wasn't  
much longer before Elena followed leaving Stefan alone with his thoughts which  
normally only revolved around one thing his career but today he had so much  
more to think about he had a family. A real family for the first time in a long  
time or as far back as he could remember anyways.

"Here we are" Stefan said out loud and nearly scared himself  
he hadn't heard a voice in so long.

"Already" Elena said her voice still groggy and full of tiredness.

"Already you're kidding right" Stefan asked looking at his  
new wife with a smile on his face.

She leaned back against her seat smiling at him. That smile.  
Her smile. It was perfect.

The three unloaded out of the car and she couldn't help looking  
around even though they couldn't see a damn thing it was so dark out and quite  
but she couldn't help herself. It was her new home. The little Blanched Almond duplex  
home sitting in front of her was perfect with a bright burgundy door.

"What do you think Jer" Elena asked her little brother with  
a smile.

"Whatever. Which one is ours".

"The one on the right" Stefan answered him tossing him one of  
the keys.

The two watched the young teenager walk into their new home  
and Elena let out a deep breath knowing just how right that April really was  
but still yet she had given up her whole life to take care of her brother not  
that she cared. He was her brother but still she couldn't end up all alone just  
to for him.

"He will come around" Stefan said wrapping his arm around  
her shoulder.

Neither of the two knew if it was true but they hoped that  
it was… hoping and praying.

"Come on… lets go see what our new house looks like" Stefan  
told her.

They walked in and truth be told it was smaller than Elena  
was used to but it was fine.

The living room was connected to the kitchen that had a small  
dinning space but was still separated from the living room by a kitchen bar. To  
the left were a bedroom and a bathroom with a laundry room sitting in between  
and the right she found the master bedroom.

It wasn't that big at all but when you grow up in New York  
like Elena did you would have no trouble learning how to decorate it to A list material  
but the best part was it had Stefan. It had Stefan and Jeremy. It had her  
family.

* * *

Caroline walked out  
to the waiting room to find Lily's father skimming through a magazine not  
looking interested in what he was reading at all. When he seen her he jumped up  
so fast his skin should have fallen off of his body it was obvious he was a  
worried, overprotected father for that he got more respect from the curly  
blond.

"How is she? Is she ok? Does she need surgery…? I know  
occasionally-"he said starting to ramble.

"She is fine perfectly fine" Caroline answered him "Lily hadanComminuted fracturewhich simply meansthe bone fragments broke into several time is normally six to eightweeks however it could take longer so I would like to see her back in seven to that I can remove the cast or give you and update of some sort"Caroline explained and said "relax she is fine" as she seen the man standing infront of her still tense.

"I'm sorry… every little thing… my wife died about four  
months ago and I am doing this all on my own… I don't know how she is a  
thirteen year old girl and I... I am not".

"My condolences" Caroline said "I know that this must be  
tough on you but things aren't as bad as they seem. Girls are easy to please  
really just keep doing what you are doing and she will continue to be happy".

Caroline showed the man to his daughter's room before  
finally being able to leave she found her way home and only one light in the  
house was light up. She wasn't surprised at all. Being a full time Doctor,  
wife, and mother wasn't easy and most of the time it felt impossible.

Caroline slowly walked into her house where her husband laid  
sound asleep on the couch. She quietly made her way to the smaller room in the  
house where her son lay fast asleep on the bottom bunk and her daughter on the  
top. Or so she thought.

"Mommy" she heard and looked to see her son sitting up.

"Honey you need to go back to sleep its late" Caroline told  
her son.

"But I want you" the yawning four year old said.

"I'm right here".

Caroline climbed into bed with him for just a moment humming  
to him until and watched as his eyes slowly drifted off to sleep before she easily  
crawled out of the bed and walked back into the living room.

Just by at her anyone could tell she was tired and exhausted  
and just wanted to crawl into bed but that wasn't the plan for this night.

"Tyler honey you need to wake up" she said shaking her  
husband lightly until his brown eyes fluttered open "hey there".

"hey baby" he said still half asleep. "How was your day… or  
days"?

"Long and tiring…. What about yours"?

"Same… Sophie got in trouble at school today she stuffed  
crayons up a little girls nose during ballet practice… seven year olds are  
brutal".

"And Chandler has his asthma settled down"?

"Yeah no attaches for a week now I think that is progress".

Caroline smiled it was obvious that she had the perfect  
family. She loved it. She loved her job and her husband and her kids she didn't  
care how hard it was sometimes it was all worth it. She knew it was hard on her  
husband and her kids that was how it was supposed to be.

"You leave tomorrow" Caroline brought the elephant in the  
room out into the open "I know" Tyler said sitting up taking her hand and  
bringing his wife to sit in his lap.

"For a long time" Caroline said wrapping her long thin arms  
around his neck before she said "I guess we have a lot of coverage to make for  
eight months or so in one night".

He laughed before scooping her up and carrying her away to  
their bedroom where the two wouldn't leave until they absolutely had to.

* * *

Bonnie Bennet rolled out of her warm comfortable bed not that she had got any sleep in the previous night anyways. She tried but her with her heart pounding loudly in her ears and the energy of a two year old running through her veins it was impossible to. She showered, cleaned, and cooked breakfast but when she looked at the clock it was as if no time had passed at all.

Bonnie found her way into her two eldest son's room where the boys were asleep in their messy room which was not cleaned as they had promised the night before. She would worry about that in a minuet right now she had an eight year old and a six year old she had to get ready for school.

"Kolton" she said sitting on the edge of his bed knowing this was as peaceful as he had looked since she given birth to him. "Kolton wake up". She watched his beautiful blue eyes slowly flutter open "guess what today is"?

He looked confused and as if he was still asleep for a minute before he jumped out of his bed and screamed "daddy is coming home".

"Yeah" she said laughing at her son who looked as though he just chugged a red bull which she knew would stay forbidden in this house.

"Brandon… Brandon" Kolton yelled shaking his little brother "daddy is coming home today wake up daddy is coming home".

"Actually" Bonnie teased "the army won't let your daddy come home until this room is clean".

She had never seen her two boys work get to cleaning so fast in fact she had never seen two boys work so fast before either.

Bonnie quietly left the room to her two youngest kid's bedroom where her two year old was already beginning to stir. She smiled down at him as she stood over his bed and he yawned stretching and looked up at his mother with a grin that she knew would get him his way for another four more years.

"Mama" Bailey said yawning just a little bit more.

"Guess what is happening today" she said silently "daddy is coming home".

He reacted just as fast as his brothers had before jumping up and as he ran to join his brothers as she found her way over to the crib in the corner where she leaned over to see her little girl. Her six week old daughter whose face she knew would melt her husband's heart.

"Kaylee…. Today daddy is coming home" she whispered kissing her on the cheek before joining her three boys before they tore the house apart.

It was everyone's favorite day even if they were too young to understand it she knew it was going to be the best day in a long time, not considering her daughter's birth.

Kol was coming home.

* * *

Klaus looked in on his daughter who was fast asleep sleeping beneath a Jonas Brothers and a Michael Jordan Poster which didn't make the world of sense to him. Nothing about his thirteen year old made any sense to him. Nothing did anymore. It was once upon time and happily ever after for a while and it all made sense and if it didn't then his wife would make it. But now it felt like everything was just a mess and he didn't know how to clean it up.

"Dad" Lily said seeing her father standing in her doorway. "My arm is fine".

Lily knew her dad she knew him as the tough as nails British solider or the Major that anyone placed beneath him quickly became scared or the family man who always came home to share a laugh with his family. But this him was unfamiliar. He was lost. She didn't know that version.

"I know… I know it is. How would you like to skip school today"? he asked with a smile creeping on his face.

"Really" she asked.

Every thirteen year olds dream offer by their parent.

"Absolutely your aunt is coming home today".

Elena knew that she had a lot of things some of which she knew she would never use or use again but just kept them for safe keeping or because it held a good memory basically when it came down to it she just didn't want to throw anything out. That found a way of catching up with her and when it did it was bit a large chunk of her ass.

Packing was one thing. She had April, Stefan, and a few extra friends helping her but this time she was all alone in doing it. Since the delivery men came and left a big pile of boxes had been sitting in every room in her house considering it all couldn't fit into one room.

And because she didn't label not one box she had no idea what was what or where it went so there was no separating it.

She had to get out if even for a minuet. Elena walked out of her house just in time too as the first thing she saw was a woman struggling. She had a baby carrier in one arm and a load of groceries in the other which was about to fall. Elena quickly swooped to the saving.

"Oh my God" the chocolate skinned beauty said "those eggs would've been scrambled before I got the chance to do it myself… Bonnie Bennet".

"Elena Gilbe…. Elena Salvatore" she corrected herself.

"Newlywed I presume"?

"Yeah… very new you"?

"Are you kidding? I wish. No I have been married for nine years this little one is the youngest… she has three brothers".

"Wow" Elena said following Bonnie up the porch "you live next to us".

"You're who just moved in"?

Elena nodded her head as she waked behind Bonnie into her house and the two sat their bags down on the kitchen table. Bonnie disappeared down the hall and Elena quickly noticed that their homes were the same and yet different. Her living room was just a little bigger but her kitchen was a lot smaller. But she had three bedrooms instead of two and it was all down one hallway not separated like hers.

It was beautiful Bonnie had most certainly done wanders with the place. She must love to decorate.

It was only a minuet before she returned without a baby in her arms and smiling at the Elena who jumped at the chance to ask "since I am new… and you aren't can you tell me where to get…food…toilet paper… you know the essentials"?

"The PX" Bonnie answered simply as she started to put her things away but seen Elena's face that had confusion written all over it "it's kind of like… a big lots but better and it's on post".

"I am sorry I know nothing here" Elena said as she helped Bonnie put away some food "I don't know anybody or anything. I don't know how to unpack or where to put everything I am totally unorganized and I am freaking out".

"I know how you feel I was only eighteen when Kol and I got married it was awful he enlisted had only been in the U.S for a few years".

"Where is he from" Elena asked him.

Bonnie smiled at the thought of her husband. The main reason she had kept herself busy since she woke up just to pass time until she got to see his face and she had been counting down since she rolled out of the bed.

"His Australian" Bonnie answered Elena's question. "He came over to America when he was twenty to go to college but he hated it. For his twenty third birthday instead of going out and partying he enlisted…. We met not too long after that. I found out I was pregnant on my nineteenth birthday and told him on his twenty fourth. My dad still thinks we are only two years apart when in fact we are six".

The two women shared a friendly laugh as they sat down at the kitchen table.

Elena had so many questions and Bonnie seemed to be the one to have all the answers. They talked it was the first person who even looked at Elena since she had arrived other than Stefan and Jeremy one of which was at work and the other still had yet to leave his room. It certainly wasn't easy but it was nice to know that she wasn't the only one who ever went through it either.

"Are you coming out later" Bonnie asked Elena.

"Coming out to what"?

"Well troops are coming in and troops are going out which doesn't happen that often when that does happen the post has these big cookouts to welcome the troops that have been deployed home and to send the troops that are leaving out. Not every post does it but this one does when that happens. It's a good way to support… as an army wife".

"Yeah I will be there" Elena said with a grin. "You'll be there right because I know no one".

"Yeah… Kol is coming home tonight he has been gone for nine and a half months… I just found out I was pregnant two weeks after he left with Kaylee. Our first daughter and he missed her birth and the ultrasounds… but I think him coming home will make up for it… anyway.. So tell me about your solider".

"I have known him a total of thirteen days now… you must think I am stupid huh"?

"For love? Hell no".

* * *

Alaric Saltzman had waited and he waited it felt longer than the nearly ten months he had been waiting to see his wife. He stood along with those around him who had the same amount of anticipation as he did building up. It felt as though the plane would never land. Or maybe it was him.

Maybe it was the fact that it had been almost a year since he seen his beautiful wife and knowing that when he went home he wouldn't be alone. He wouldn't sleep alone. He would wake up to her beautiful face and they would be together. There wouldn't be an ocean separating them.

"Punch" he heard and looked over to see a young girl offering him a cup full of the punch he had for some reason passed up on his way in.

"Yes… Thank you… Alaric but you can call me Ric" he said gesturing a hand.

"Hi I'm Elena" she said shaking his hand speaking in one of the sweetest voices he had ever heard before.

"Waiting for your husband"? He asked.

"No his right over there… just here… for moral support really".

Ric smiled at her it was obvious to him that she was new or at least to the married life as well as the army life. The innocent word that was written all over her face told him everything that he needed to know about her.

"That's kind and sweet" he said acknowledging something he did quite often knowing how hard it is and it helps the waiting to see those come home "my wife" he added "she is a lieutenant colonel".

"And… that's good"?

"Yeah" he said with a laugh "in fact that is extremely good… your husband is…"?

"Oh… his a… Private First Class… I think that is what it is called".

"Yeah… a PFC is he just starting out then"?

"Yeah" Elena replied not really sure what that entailed that he was just starting out. Would she be standing in the same place in twenty years or would he leave before then or be killed? She didn't know anything about his plans being in the army. She didn't know anything and she didn't know why.

"You came" Elena heard and seen Bonnie walking over in her direction pushing a stroller and three kids in toll.

"I said I would" Elena said with a smile "Bonnie this is Ric and Ric this is Bonnie".

"Nice to meet you" Ric said shaking her hand.

"Likewise" she replied.

In the fifteen minutes that they talked among each other Elena learned Ric followed his dream in becoming a history teacher something he had wanted to do as far back as he could remember while he followed his wife around. They met when after her first deployment and fell in love instantly that was seventeen years ago and they are still going strong. They have no kids but it doesn't mean that they don't want any it was just hard to find the time with her busy schedule. He was from a small town in Connecticut where he went to Harvard.

She also learned that Bonnie was a stay at home mother although that wasn't the plan when she was growing up. She always dreamed of becoming a photographer. It was her passion. She loved nature and anything that came with it so she loved to capture it. To be able to look at it any time.

"Why didn't you" Ric asked the same question that was on Elena's mind "why didn't you become a photographer"?

"You know how it is… moving around so much and I had kids not to mention that isn't exactly something easy to make a career out of staying in one place is essential to pursue that and in this lifestyle by the time you are unpacked and comfortable you are packing up again. I would love to go back to college and perhaps one day I will but today is not that day".

Ric did understand what she meant it was difficult to finish out his schooling but that didn't stop him however he didn't have any children so putting it together it must have been hard for her.

As the three continued to chat Ric wasn't the only husband awaiting the arrival of his wife.

Klaus looked on as his brother-in-law Elijah took a sip of a can of soda in his hand. He walked over and sat down next to him with his thirteen year old in tow.

"How are you doing Lily? I heard you broke your hand" he said looking at the cast.

"It doesn't hurt" Lily said "or anymore it hurt last night and no one even jumped up to see if I was ok I am the best on the team and they just ran over me and lost the game".

"She is your daughter" Elijah said causing Klaus to laugh.

"How long have you been here you look like hell"?

"About an hour but I couldn't sleep last night Emily caught a cold from school or what she said was a cold but I think it was just a decoy into not having to go to school today because her mother is coming home. Because by a miracle in the air she jumped up two hours ago just feeling better claiming that the bug just ran away" Elijah said as the two men laughed sitting on a bench "hey Lil why don't you get her she is somewhere over there with a few friends could you do that for me tell her they are about to land"?

"Sure thing" she replied.

Elijah and Klaus may only be related because Elijah married Klaus' baby sister or baby step sister but the two had known each other basically their whole life or ever since the two were in their early teens which seemed like fifty million decades ago.

Klaus' parents divorced when he was young and his mother met another man while the two were on vacation that being his sisters father they eloped and next thing Klaus knew he was moving to America at the tender age of twelve. Elijah happened to live across the street the two immediately became friends but both being in military families each eventually moved away however years passed and they ran into each other once again but this time Elijah was no longer baby-sitting his best friends step sister but falling in love with her which wasn't something he approved of at first but he came around… in time.

"I though you said that they was landing" Emily said as the two teenagers joined their father's.

"They are Emily Mae now sit down" he said looking at her with an eyebrow rose up at his pouting fourteen year old.

"Doctor Lockwood" Lily said waving at the Doctor who had her husband and two kids with her "hi".

"Lily hey how is your arm doing"? Caroline asked with a smile.

"It's great… Uncle Elijah and Emily this is Doctor Lockwood".

"Caroline please" the beautiful blond said with a smile "Tyler honey this is Lily and her father Major Michelson".

"His not in uniform right now call him Klaus" Lily said earning a laugh from her father.

It was that moment. That moment that everyone knew that their lives were better again. That moment that they saw faces they hadn't seen for almost a year. Jenna Sommers smiled at the sight of her husband and daughter as she slowly but steady paced found her husband and daughter.

"Mom" Emily yelled and ran to Jenna Elijah close behind.

"Oh my God I missed you" she said hugging her precious daughter before her sweet and gentle husband swept her into his arms followed directly by a kiss.

"We missed you" he said kissing her one more time ok two or three more times.

"You won't believe it" Emily said telling Jenna that she would be talking her ears off "I made Captain of the middle school cheerleading team".

"That's so great… excuse me for just a minuet ok honey".

Jenna looked at Klaus waiting with Lily a smile across their face. No they weren't related by blood but the two cared about each other just as much anyway. He was her brother. He was overprotective of her when they were growing up and vice versa.

Being far away when his wife died was the hardest thing not just for him but her as well she had always been there for him when he needed her and he was always there for her when she needed him. This was the first time the two were apart when a crisis happened there was nothing she could do or say even when she called after the death, or once she heard about it two weeks later she didn't know what to say or if there was anything she could say at all.

"Welcome back little sister" Klaus said bringing her into his arms for a tight embrace. "It is good to have you home".

"It is good to be home" she said before looking up at him tilting her head "how are you holding up? Since Charlotte died"?

Charlotte also known as Jenna's best friend or ever since Klaus brought her home anyways. They hit it off right away and she wasn't sure how she was going to live without her. It didn't make sense for someone so healthy and so young to be gone.

"It's not been easy" he admitted "at all. But I am getting by one minuet she was complaining about how I didn't mow the grass the next… she just dropped. To the floor I… I don't understand it myself".

"I am here now" Jenna said with a smile and hugged her brother.

Bonnie Bennet continued to look through the crowd of soldiers that was smashed together it reminded her of a sandwich that she made for her kids on a daily basis until she seen her husband. There he was. His face, his eyes… there he was standing almost directly in front of her. Kol ran over and twirled his beautiful wife around before kissing her as appropriately as he could in front of all the people standing around for a moment it was as if they were the only two in the world but that ride was dismissed when Kol was nearly tackled to the ground by three boys that were looked and acted just like him.

"Daddy" three different voices yelled as he picked all three up in his arms kissing and hugging them multiple times.

"I missed you" he said smiling before turning to Kolton and said "you shot up like a weed you two… you take after your mum she is barley five foot".

"Oh I am taller than that" Bonnie said laughing before taking her husband's hand "would you like to meet your daughter"?

Kol looked into the stroller to see his beautiful daughter fast asleep and it melted his heart. He wanted to smile but he couldn't… he couldn't breathe. All he wanted to do was look at her but he wanted to pick her up.

"The first one to look like me" he said gently lifting his daughter up and cradling her in his arms.

"That's what my mom said" Bonnie told him smiling.

"I'll be damned look at Mr. Mom" the two heard and looked to see his baby sister Rebekah standing in front of them "well damn it give me a hug".

Kol laughed hugging her but still not ready to put his daughter down so he gave her a one arm side hug and kissed her on the temple.

Ric waited and waited he was a patient man but his patience had grown tired at this point in fact they were exhausted and angry. Finally there she was. Meredith came walking at him at a steady pace before hugging her husband and kissing him one time.

"I missed you" she said running her hands through his hair admiring every feature on his body.

She was tough as nails in front of her soldiers and normally that was the case but for the first time she was weak in the knees and wanted to cry. She wanted to ball like a baby out of happiness of course. She had missed her husband so much and like everyone else around she didn't want to let go at least for a little bit.

He knew she had rules even though they were married they weren't to act a certain way when she was in uniform and sometimes it became hard to follow those rules. To just have her in his arms again was enough of a blessing. He didn't want to risk starting a fight before they even got home.

"You look good Colonel" he said with a smile before whispering "you look sexy as hell" in her ear.

"Not until I shave my legs then I will be sexy as hell" she teased back with a smile and a laugh.

The two laughed. It was a friendly laugh and then the laughed because they heard each other laugh. Something they both missed and longed for.

Pearl searched the crowd waiting and waiting finally she laid eyes on her daughter who was still looking for her. She rushed to her daughters side and the two hugged because neither had seen one another in what felt like decades. In one year her daughter had changed so much she was no longer a little girl anymore but she was still her little girl.

"Annalyn" she said knowing how much she hated to be called that before looking at her daughter and asking "where did you get breasts at"?

"Victoria secret" she said smiling.

"Did you enjoy staying at your dads" Pearl asked but received a look from her daughter one that told her the answer.

"You're not leaving again for a while right because that was torture… mom their toilet water is blue and they wear polo shirts… we had to take pictures for a Christmas card in June… it was hot".

"Tell me more" Pearl said with a smile loving to hear just how awful her ex-husband was.

Stefan wanted to laugh and smile at the sight of his brother who was walking in his direction before the two embraced each other.

"Ok two men hugging each other in public possibly gay two grown soldiers hugging each other crying for the entire post to see looking after being separated for nine and a half months straight up gay relationship" they heard and looked to see a blond standing over in uniform rolling her eyes.

"Lexi" Stefan asked looking at his close friend.

"Yeah so dad" Damon said turning to his little brother "I found something on my way home can I keep it?... or run it over with a car"?

'Shut-up Buzz kill" Lexi said before hugging her best friend before Damon interrupted with a question in a sing song voice that almost earned him a punch from the blond "so where is the wifey"?

"Over… there she is come on" Stefan said before leading them over towards the Bennet family who was talking with her and the Saltzman's.

"Colonel" Damon said nodding his head at Meredith.

"Elena this is Damon and my best friend Lexi" he said pointing to each.

"Hear that you're just Damon and I am best friend Lexi" the feisty blond teased.

"Hi I am Elena" she said laughing at the two.

"I'm Ken and this is Barbie".

"Eww they were married for like sixty years or something… no way… hell would freeze over before I would let your HIV infested lips anywhere near me" Lexi snapped at him.

"In your dreams baby doll".

"In my nightmares douche bag" Lexi fired back.

_My name is Elena Gilbert or it was. My name is Elena Maria Salvatore. I currently live in Manhattan, New York where I was born and raised... Or at least I used to. I am single. Or at least I was. I am married to Private First Class Stefan Antonio Salvatore and we currently reside at Fort Wesley in Charleston, North Caroline which I am told could change at any moment. I am twenty four years old and I take care of my fifteen year old brother and have since they died in a car accident when I was only seventeen years old. Well, something's take time to change and others can happen in the blink of an eye._

_You don't realize how one thing can change your life completely. A wrong turn perhaps can end the life of two parents and tear a family apart. One word could damage two sisters that shared a uterus once upon a time ago. Or how one handshake could change your heart, location, and way of life._

_I left friends I have known for twenty four years behind in a big city to come and find new ones in a small southern town. I left a job I was comfortable at and good at. I left the house that was no longer a home that I grew up in. I risked everything._

_I risked everything. For love. But little did I know...I would be risking so much more than I thought._

* * *

**_So review and ell me what you think ...:) _**


	2. A tribe is born

_**Hey I have already got so many followers...and favorites so thanks :)**_

_**My last chapter somehow my computer messed everything up so I didn't notice all the imperfections until after it was uploaded. I am so sorry. **_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own anything but the submerging of my two favorite shows :) **_

* * *

Bonnie threw her legs over the edge of the bed and knew exactly where to go. She was quite as she tip toed through the living room where her sister in law Rebekah slept on the pull out couch ever since she had arrived and to be honest not sure when she was leaving but she still didn't want to wake the young blond.

In her two younger children's room she found her husband sitting in the rocking chair her daughter curled up on his chest both of the two fast asleep.

Bonnie smiled at the sight but only at that. She gently lifted her daughter and sat laid her in her crib in the process waking her husband who stood behind his wife as she tucked their daughter into bed.

Kol followed his wife to their bedroom where Bonnie shut the door behind her and turned to her husband asking "are you ok? You do that every night"?

"I know. I know I do. I'm sorry" he apologized as though it were a big deal in a way it was in another way it wasn't.

"No need to be sorry I am just worried… that's all".

"I was there with Kolton, Brandon, and Bailey when they were all born… every doctor appointment… everything but this time… I wasn't… I was over there and I missed out on my daughter. She is my little girl and I wasn't there. I wasn't there" Kol said lying down on the bed starring at the ceiling. "I don't want to miss a moment of her life".

Bonnie lay down next to her husband thinking of the words to say but nothing came to mind. She didn't know what she could say. Bonnie knew that it was never easy when he came back but this she didn't expect.

The sound of a cry echoed through the house and before she had the chance to move Kol had ran out of the bedroom on his way to tend to their crying child.

* * *

The only noise throughout the entire Salvatore home that Elena could hear was the sound of her husband breathing as he slept next to her. Growing up in the city she always complained for the noise that it was too loud now it was to quiet and she wasn't over exaggerating when she said she could hear everything. Maybe that was her gift for the time being.

Elena listened to what sounded like keys rattling followed by the sound of the door creeping open and closing. She sprung to her feet and nearly darted to the living room to find Jeremy standing walking to his bedroom.

"What the hell are you doing" Elena snapped flipping the light on her voice low but it sounded like a scream in the silent house.

"I was out" he said shrugging not turning back to look at her.

"Jeremy" she said taking his hand pulling him around to look at her. "Oh my God. You're high. What the hell is the matter with you"?

"Does it matter"?

"Actually yeah it does. It does matter this isn't New York Jer. You live on an army post if you were caught…well I don't know what would happen but it wouldn't be good. You would probably be sent to a Juvenile center probably and that would reflect bad on Stefan".

"Of course it all boils down to him doesn't it? That's all you seem to care about anymore".

"He is my husband and you are my brother I care about both of you but you have to stop making this so difficult it has been two weeks. I know it is hard Jeremy moving it is hard and I am sorry I didn't really check with you and how you felt about the whole thing but… but this behavior is unacceptable. You need to straighten up if you want us to have a decent life for the next four years".

Jeremy was a good kid and Elena knew that but Stefan didn't. No one knew the Jeremy she did and that made it hard when she talked good about him. No one believed the great things he had done and he had done them. He was no longer the Jeremy she once knew and it hurt. She missed him.

"Look Elena I get it your in love or whatever you want to call it but once the newlywed sex wears off and reality sets in we will be packing up bidding good bye to this one pony town that's why I left my good stuff in New York because this is stupid. You are being stupid. You have known him for a month now. Do you even know his middle name. We will be back in New York by Christmas… Easter at the latest".

"No you don't get it" Elena told her little brother "that man in there asleep is my husband and you might not be taking this seriously but this is not a joke to me. I love him. We are staying and we probably will move again but it's wherever his job takes us you don't like it? You have another sister you can live with whose number is on the fridge".

Elena stormed to her bedroom slamming the door behind her and still yet somehow managed not to wake her husband. It was amazing. He didn't move or budge after a screaming fight just took place in the next room if she couldn't hear him snoring she could've swore he was dead.

* * *

Saturday was one of those days that people like Caroline who worked twelve hours Monday through Friday normally slept in trying to catch up on all the sleep they missed out on through the week. Unfortunately she was no longer part one of those lucky people anymore.

When Tyler was home he would normally let his wife sleep in and then take a nap about midday. It was a routine she liked… no she loved. Now she was up at five o'clock just like every other morning doing chores as though she was a housewife until the moment her kids would roll out of the bed.

"Good morning" Caroline smiled as she seen her daughter came walking towards the kitchen and hopped up on a stool across from her mother at the counter. "I made breakfast so I hope you are hungry".

"You can cook"? The young brown eyed beauty asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yes I can cook" Caroline said looking confused at her confused daughter "I cook all the time".

"No daddy cooks and he is the best".

"Your father makes sandwiches and chips that isn't exactly cooking Soph. That's a Tyler Lockwood special so he can get back to watching whatever game is on the television."

"Well I love it".

"It's tuna and chips".

Caroline laughed shaking her head at the argument that seemed so pointless with her daughter as she handed Sophie a plate with an omelet and some sausage on it. She knew her daughter was a daddy's girl to the end of the earth and back that's why she didn't take it personally instead she laughed. She laughed because it was funny.

Caroline could do everything perfectly and she always did to the best of her ability but Sophie would never be pleased unless her father did it or it was done just the way he did it. Tyler could half ass do something which most of the time he did but it was perfect in her eyes.

That is why the past two weeks it had been so hard for the seven year old. It was the first time that Tyler had left since Sophie was a baby. So it was hard. It was a hard adjustment on everyone.

But it was somewhat easier on Caroline than it should be she didn't know why and she didn't want to know why but all she knew was that she wasn't happy no matter what the case was.

"So" Caroline said leaning forward so she was nearly face to face with her daughter "I thought me, you, and your brother could go to the park today… off post. We could feed the ducks and have a picnic all that corny stuff you see on T.V today. What do you think huh? Does it sound like fun"?

"Will you make the Tyler Lockwood special for lunch" Sophie asked batting her long eye lashes smiling.

"Yes" Caroline said nodding her head smiling "I think I can do that".

It was then that Chandler came slowly dragging his feet down the hall yawning and stretching. Caroline wasn't exaggerating when she said he was a miniature version of his father. From his darker skin to his dark hair to the expressions on his face and the way he walked.

"Good morning" Caroline said smiling as he climbed up on the stool. "How did you sleep"?

"I had a dream I lived with SpongeBob" he said grinning.

"That is so awesome… did you get to work at the KrustyKrab" she asked as she fixed him a plate.

"It's impossible" Sophie interrupted before her brother had the chance to answer his mother "he lives under the sea in the water you wouldn't be able to breathe".

"He could if he had gills".

"Yeah" Chandler teased his sister.

"But you don't have gills you have lungs and your lungs fill up with water then you'll drown and die".

'God my daughter is to smart for her own good' Caroline thought to herself.

The two kids continued to bicker at one another as Caroline heard her cell phone ringing she quickly pulled it out of her pocket. It wasn't until she seen the name hospital flashing across her screen that made her not want to answer it. But she knew she had to. She knew that if she didn't something could happen. Someone could die. Or she could lose her job which seemed to be just as bad at times.

"This is Doctor Lockwood" Caroline said quietly walking into the laundry room.

"Caroline it's Chief Stewart I need you to come in today is that at all possible there is two Doctors on Call today and I am begging you to come in" he said in a voice that was unfamiliar to her she was used to screaming and yelling but for the first time he was nice.

"Ummm… sure" she said regretting her words "just give me an hour or two to find a babysitter".

"Understandable" he said before the line disconnected.

It wasn't until Caroline turned around to see two disappointed faces that she regretted it the most. She hated it. She hated that this is what it had come to. But she knew that she didn't have a choice. It was her job and she loved her job.

* * *

Elena hadn't moved in what felt like hours. It probably had been she wasn't for sure. The sun was up it wasn't when she came out. She just sat starring at the steps thinking. She was thinking of everything and her mind still felt blank.

"Hey" Elena heard and turned around to see Bonnie sitting in the chair next to her. "How long you been out here"?

"A while" Elena answered not sure what the real answer was.

"I come out here too to think. It helps clear my mind… what's wrong"?

"My brother. I know that moving is hard I understand that but he thinks we are going back. He thinks in a few months when the going gets tough that Stefan or me will just bail. That we will be moving back to New York and that will be that. He hasn't even begun to unpack. He came in last night… high. He was high on what I couldn't tell you. I don't know what to do or say and I know it bugs Stefan I know it does I mean…how could it not? What if he had been caught? Stefan's career… I don't know what to do".

"He is a kid of course he is being stubborn about the move" Bonnie admitted "I did that once when I moved with my parents from Alabama to Ohio my dad's work moved him and I hated it but you have to let him know that he isn't going back. That this is it. This is his life now if he wants it or not you need to make sure he knows that. You need to lay down the law I know that you are this sweet and kind person that doesn't enjoy conflict at all but now… it's time to step up".

Elena let her head fall back starring at the sky knowing that Bonnie was right.

"The one thing I never expected to change was our relationship" Elena admitted now understanding how stupid it sounded "he is my baby brother. I mean we have been close since my parents died. Katherine bolted and I didn't. We are all we have and we have always been close he would tell me what was going on or if he had a bad day… everything but now".

"I know it's hard. I understand that" Bonnie said. "Trust me I know how it is to have to be the bad guy. I have to be the bad guy all the time my boys will just storm off screaming that they hate me but I know they don't mean it. I am sure that they think they do… but hate. It's such a strong word I don't think any of us are capable of hate".

Elena and Jeremy were close and she just assumed that would last forever that they would be close forever which seemed now seemed rather stupid. Living in a perfect world was fictional.

But the more that she thought about it all the angrier she became.

Every detail and every thought and every memory Bonnie knew what she was talking about. Now Elena just had to do something about it.

It wasn't until an silver SUV pulled up that she could even take her mind off of it.

Caroline quickly hopped out followed by her two kids and the three walked up the sidewalk on the porch together.

"Thank you Elena so much for watching them" she said her voice filled with relief "it was supposed to be my day off but those are normally cut short. A lot of the Doctors are Military Doctors and that's fine and all but some just shipped out and some just got home so they are getting more time off… which means I am pulling so many shifts I forgot what sleep feels like".

"Oh it's no big deal at all".

"Yeah and with me right next door they can play with the boys" Bonnie said.

"Thank you so much" Caroline said throwing her hair up in a pony tail"I am so sorry ok Sophie… Chandler you be good for Mrs. Salvatore" she kissed each of her kids on the top of their head "I hate to rush but I really do have to rush. Again thank you Elena".

"It's fine… now go… go save lives".

* * *

Jenna wasn't a house wife. It wasn't her "thing" as her daughter so lightly put it but on this particular day she felt like one. She had been up before the sun cleaning and cooking and doing the dishes instead of working out or anything else that felt normal on her agenda.

It was the least she could do for her family.

Jenna left her husband alone to do it all alone for months and sometimes years at a time.

It was hard to do what she did and then come back to a stable environment. It would never fit the criteria as easy or simple. But what her husband did had to be just as hard at least in her eyes. He took care of everything. Elijah always made sure that the house was clean, the cats and dogs were fed, their daughter was fully taken care of he never missed a…. whatever it is with pompoms or tutus, and had a full time job all while taking on the task of being married to the army.

"I cooked lunch" Jenna said smiling as her husband and daughter walked through the door.

The two laughed until they seen her face was straight and she was looking at them arms folded tapping her foot.

"You're serious"? Elijah asked his wife looking around the corner into the kitchen.

"Yes you know I can do more with my hand than just tend to wounded soldiers" Jenna said.

"We might want to vote on that after we eat" Emily whispered to her father as they sat down but her mother seemed to still hear the words she said but with a quick smile it was fine.

Elijah was the one who cooked in the family. It should have been left that way. Elijah and Emily began eating on their food and with the best of their abilities attempted to keep it down.

"So" Jenna asked to which they simply lied "it's good" something that they taught their daughter not to do but drastic measures has to be taken sometimes in the Sommers household.

"There is this career day thing… sort of you have to bring your parent or someone you look up into to speak to the class… anyways I was hoping one of you could make it" Emily said changing the topic distracting her mother from watching the two eat the plate full of hell as she continued to play with her food as though she were eating it,

"I will" both of her parents said.

"My father the physiatrist who helps the soldiers" Emily teased her parents "or my mother the Doctor who helps soldiers that is a tough call. I might have to consult with my agent about that one".

"A little friendly competition never hurt anyone" Jenna said smiling.

"It is always competition with you"? Elijah told his wife shaking his head.

"Scared his going to lose I hope you don't take after him" Jenna told her daughter "end up in the corner crying because he lost a game of badminton".

"You hit me in the head with your racket…and it hurt".

"Hey we won the game stop you're belly aching it's been sixteen years get over it".

Emily laughed at her parents.

Jenna loved what she did she loved to save wounded soldiers lives. She loved that feeling knowing that their family wouldn't have a little black car pull into their driveway to tell her that their husband or wife or son or daughter was dead. That they weren't coming back saving people was the what she woke up for in the morning.

But her family was what she lived for.

She lived her daughter and her husband.

Neither signed up for this life the life they are living. The traveling and never having a permanent home… it wasn't what they wanted but they did it. They did it for her.

* * *

Kol silently pulled the door too as he walked out of the room where he left his two month old daughter sleeping peacefully in her crib as though it wasn't becoming louder outside as the day progressed. She slept as though there weren't teenagers talking, adults playing corn hole, or kids running and screaming loudly. He walked into the kitchen where Bonnie was cooking and hopped up on the counter next to the stove like a child.

"I am home now… you can take a day off you know love" he said smiling "I could cook us something if you want".

"Sure and we will know that dinner is done when the smoke alarm goes off" Bonnie teased her husband and received an eye roll now telling her where her two boys picked that up from "its ok babe I got it. I love to cook".

Kol nodded knowing that she wasn't lying. It was easy to tell when his wife was lying. Bonnie could cook, she knew what their kids where doing, how they were doing it, and what they were doing it without having to turn around to look, she was smart so smart that it made him feel bad that she dropped out of college to become a housewife but lying.

She couldn't lie if her life depended on it.

It was funny really.

"So" Kol pressed on "what is going on in that thick head of yours"? Bonnie turned to her husband to deny anything but he interrupted by saying "tell me I know when something is wrong we may have spent nearly a year apart but that doesn't change anything. You haven't changed and I know something is wrong"?

Bonnie was scared to bring it up. She didn't want to upset her husband merely two weeks after he got home.

Instead of bringing up that he was becoming an OCD parent she decided on something else. It was safer and he wouldn't read too much into it because he was probably thinking the same thing.

Bonnie ran her fingers through her long hair as she looked at her husband and asked "I just wanted to know when… Rebekah was going home"? But once the words hit the surface it didn't exactly sound as nice and he looked somewhat offended let's be honest it was his sister.

"Not that I don't love having her because I do" Bonnie backtracked the question she had originally asked him "just if she is staying here a little longer I need to make room she can't continue to live in the living room we have three boys our house is hard enough to keep clean as it is".

Kol nodded accepting what she had said his wife always did like things to be neat and perfect and as order as humanly possible.

"I honestly haven't got any idea" Kol admitted "I will talk to her though ok darling".

* * *

It wasn't as late as it felt. In fact it was only six thirty and Caroline had only been at work for four and a half hours which in reality wasn't long at all but on this particular night it had felt like the day would never end.

All she wanted was too go home, cook dinner, and spend time with her kids something that seemed less likely at this point. It was difficult to spend time with her kids before her husband left now it seemed damn near impossible with everything going on.

Caroline speedily left her the surgery she had just performed with great success and found her way to the emergency room to find almost every bed filled with a different patient with a different pain.

"Where is Doctor Stewart" Caroline asked the nearest nurse.

"He left about thirty five minutes ago" the man told her.

"Tell me that is a joke" Caroline said but instead recited a serious look from the tall man "you've got to be kidding me" she said jerking the file out of his hand.

Caroline was angry knowing that she wasn't leaving tonight but she put a fake smile that was almost believable on her face and stormed across the room. She pulled the sheet back to reveal a familiar face waiting.

"Lily" she said "this has to be some kind of record huh? Three times within two weeks"? Caroline referred to her visit the week before "so first it was you fell during basketball you tripped during gymnastics… is it… was it soccer this time? You seem to be accident prone like me".

Lily tried to laugh but she couldn't. When she came in she was still smiles and laughing and talking about how stupid it was but this time she was in pain.

"I… I called my dad but… he is at a conference… or s… something so my aunt… my aunt Jenna is on her way" she said.

"Ok" Caroline said shutting the sheet and sat down next to the bed. "You want to tell me what is wrong"?

"It… it started this morning my stomach hurt I just thought I might be starting my period I never had one so I wasn't sure what it felt like. I went to… to basketball practice… I can't play because of my arm but I still go. It started getting worse and worse… I was supposed to stay the night with my friend" Lily explained "but my stomach started hurting really bad so I called my dad and he said when he got home he would take me to the Doctor… but then it got worse and I started throwing up so I just came. I couldn't wait for him".

She leaned her head back crying.

"May I" Caroline said gesturing to her stomach and Lily nodded.

Caroline raised the young girls shirt just enough to reveal her abdomen and easily began to apply pressure until Lily nearly cried out it hurt so bad.

Caroline pulled back her hands immediately and said "ok I am going to give you some pain killers but I do need to run a few tests ok"?

* * *

It was that time of day in the Bennet house.

Bonnie's favorite time.

Right after dinner when all the kids were too full and tried to jump around continuing any game that they had on their mind. Instead they just settled in front of the television watching whatever cartoon came across the screen.

Quietly, they sat quietly.

Bonnie sat with her kids without getting a head ache it was like a little piece of heaven when you have three boys.

However not everyone was having fun Bonnie looked out the window to see Rebekah sitting on the porch by herself before she could react Kol immediately caught where his wife was looking.

He quickly joined his sister who barely noticed him even when he was sitting right next to her.

"So" Kol said breaking the awkward silence "what"? He was going to ask a question but wasn't sure what he could ask or what would even be appropriate to ask his baby sister. "How long are you staying for Rebekah"?

Yeah that was smooth.

"Let me guess" she said turning to finally face him "yer wife… she doesn't want me here"?

"No, no it's not that" he said before he hurt her feelings too much "if you're staying a little more… permanently we need to make other sleeping arrangements is all".

"Oh" she said looking back to the road in front of her.

It was obvious she had stayed this long for a reason and it was even more obvious that he was about to find out what that reason was.

"Mom is sick" Rebekah admitted out loud "she has been sick for some time about three months ago she was hospitalized… its Alzheimer's. It's not that bad yet she is still in the early stages but still yet dad put her in one of those homes and he took off leaving me with aunt Penny I… I hate it there. They don't talk to me or… and mom she… she is... it's bad".

"You can stay here" Kol said nodding. "It might take me a week for me to fill a few forms out but don't worry and I know Bonnie. She will be on board".

Rebekah simply nodded not mentioning anything that was running through her mind. Her brother and her were so far apart in age they had never been that close but now he was really all she had besides her aunt who still thought it was the forties.

"I am going to go help put the boys to sleep ok" Kol said and kissed her on the temple before going to go help his wife.

* * *

This had become routine something that had been happening a lot during the past two weeks or ever since Meredith had come home. About this time too Alaric would receive a phone call from a bar not to far off post telling him his wife was intoxicated and couldn't drive or something along the lines of that.

He walked into the bar that was filled drunks all of whom seemed to be hitting on his wife.

"Mer" he said catching the attention of his wife who seemed to be giving some sort of a lap dance to some… truck driver maybe?

It disgusted him but he couldn't say much. He didn't know much.

"Crap" she stuttered "am I in trouble again daddy"? She teased like a young child.

He threw his drunken wife over his shoulder and whisked her out to the car after paying her extravagant fee for the night.

Sometime during the drive home she passed out. It seemed to happen about the same exact moment as they passed a dairy queen every time. He would roll down the window to the let the fresh air instead of having to inhale the smell of the alcohol escaping from her mouth.

Alaric wished he knew what to say but he didn't.

It wasn't until he pulled into his driveway that his wife began to stir that she began to open her eyes and realize that there was life on the other side and in that moment all the drinks came rushing back to the surface. She barely made it to the bathroom inside but she did followed by her husband who came and held her hair.

"You would… you would hate me if you knew what I did" Meredith told her husband as she leaned her head against the wall.

"I doubt that" he said looking at her "I could never hate you".

"Well… I hate myself" she said tears flowing down her cheeks.

Alaric sat with his wife there in that spot until she fell asleep and carried her to the bedroom where he changed her into something more comfortable to sleep in then got in to bed himself. It was hard on him to see her like this and know that there was nothing that he could do. He knew there was nothing that he could say all he could do was be there for her.

He just had to be there for her at her worst. Just be there.

Caroline stood scoping through the waiting room until she found a face. A face that she had become far too familiar with sat with a woman who she assumed was Lily's aunt. He nearly ran over when he seen her followed by the woman both of which looked almost as tired as she did.

"She is fine" Caroline said before Klaus could start demanding questions of all sorts "she had apprentices so naturally I did have to remove her appendix. They ruptured during surgery and it did get complicated but she is fine. She is in recovery and it could take a while for her to recover fully meaning no sports until I say so make sure to drill that one in her head would you"?

"Yes" he said with a reliving sigh "when can I see her"?

"When I say so" Caroline teased him as she handed a chart off to a passing Doctor "she is resting right now and in recovery. Look a surgery is a lot different than a broken bone or a sprain or… whatever else your daughter lands herself in here for".

Klaus laughed nodding his head.

"You don't suspect that he is beating her do you" Jenna spoke up for the first time "I know having a patient come in as much as she has lately could spark something… I'm a Doctor I just don't want you to assume something like that"?

"Of course not" Caroline said truthfully "Doctor to Doctor when a child is in an abusive relationship with a parent or adult there are other signs than just broken bones or something along that sort other bruises through the arms, legs, head, and they get nervous when telling their Doctor what happened. Not to mention she comes in she is normally with friends and she is laughing and joking about what she did…and it helps that whatever happens to her nine times out of ten are caught tape, a friend's camera phone".

Jenna sighed with a smile across her face she knew Klaus had an angry streak but his daughter was his life. She didn't want anyone to think he would do something so bad and she knew that Doctors are trained to look for that sort of thing.

Jenna couldn't imagine if he had social services called on him for his daughter that couldn't put one foot in front of the other without tripping and breaking something. She got that from her mother the woman broke her hand doing laundry…. How was still a mystery?

* * *

Elena smiled at Sophie who was talking ninety miles an hour as she zipped the back of her Sunday morning dress. It was cute. The little girl was as precious as could be. The two walked out of the bedroom into the living room where Stefan sat with his brother both dressed and ready talking with Chandler.

Elena shook her head as the little boy explained his how he climbed mount Everest.

"Hey ho you ready to go" Bonnie sang as she waked into Elena's house.

"Did you just call me hoe" Elena teased.

Bonnie rolled her eyes and looked at the two little Lockwood kids "did you guys have fun at your sleep over with the Salvatore's"?

"Yeah" both nearly screamed.

"Stefan sat up a tent and we all slept in here" Chandler said smiling "it was a camp out"!

"Well we better get going if you want to get back so we can finish the camp out" Stefan said lifting him up.

"There's more" he asked.

"A camp out isn't a camp out if you don't have a cook out" Damon told the little boy "our dad used to take us on all kinds when we was kids… you know before he met his new girlfriend".

"Who is his girlfriend" Sophie asked.

"Vodka".

"Damon" Elena snapped shaking her head at him before she looked around "where is Jeremy?"

No one answered which couldn't mean anything good.

"Why don't you guys go on and get in the car" Elena said turning to everyone.

They listened. It was good that they listened the angry black haired girl stormed into her brothers room where he sat listening to music. She jerked the head phones out of his ear and threw his iPod across the room which earned a loud "what the hell" from him.

"What the hell is right" Elena yelled right back. "I cannot believe that you have been this selfish. I have asked you to do all of one thing. One thing and that is go to Church with us this morning"!

"I am being selfish? I didn't up and move you to a one horse town far where there is nothing but a bunch of army brats and nothing to do or no one to hang out with. You ruined my life".

Elena wanted to scream. She wanted to scream at to the top of her lungs. She was so angry and he knew she was angry. In fact he couldn't remember ever seeing her this angry before. It was weird his fragile sister who could never stand up for herself entire face was red.

"You are right" she said sarcastically "I am being so damn selfish after I gave up everything to raise you. Instead of going off to travel the world with the money I saved up or going to a big fancy college like I wanted to I stayed with you. After Katherine bailed we were all each other had. You would have been put in foster care. I made sure you had everything that you wanted even if I had to give up something that I needed. Now I am being selfish because I want to be happy? For the first time I did something for me so if you are tired of it or can't handle it then call Katherine and when she tells you that she doesn't want you to live with her because a fifteen year old would 'cramp her style' then you can to foster care or whatever it is they do with kids or you could straighten up because I won't put up with it anymore. I have done all that I can for you Jeremy"!

Elena stormed out of his room and she couldn't believe all that she had just said neither could he but it was the truth. It was the truth what she said.

It was time for her to be happy.

Bonnie stood waiting in the living room she wasn't smiling but she was happy or proud Elena wasn't sure of which. Bonnie wrapped her arm around her close friend and said "welcome to adolescents… don't worry you're not alone. I am now raising a fifteen year old girl… I think I beat you I have tampons and falling in love… you get drugs and sex…not fair".

Elena threw her head back laughing as they walked out the door to join their families.

* * *

Caroline parked her car and got out at Elena's and she wasn't surprised to see kids smiling and having fun her children included. But on the porch Elena sat with Bonnie, Elijah, and Alaric all three talking and laughing.

She was tired and it must really show because the moment Caroline reached the porch Bonnie looked up at her and said "you look like pure hell".

"I feel like it too thanks" she said sitting down on the steps. "Thanks Elena for watching them last night. My damn boss waited until I was in surgery to leave and left me with a million patients luckily there was two Doctors there and I had to call two more in".

"How is Lily doing" Elijah asked "Jenna called me and said you refused to let them back there to see her. She isn't used to being told no… she likes you".

Caroline laughed. She was too tired to laugh but she did.

"Lily is fine. She has been awake off and on since about ten this morning".

"You need to tell Doctor Stewart to give you some lean way now that Tyler isn't at home you had someone to lean on or rely on" Bonnie said "I mean it was hard enough when Kol wasn't here and I didn't have a full time job…you do. You need to make sure he understands that".

"He needs to hire some more Doctors the hospital is way understaffed" Elijah said.

"I know" Caroline said "but what if I lost my job"?

"They can't fire you for your husband fighting for his country" Elena said before she turned to Alaric and asked "right? He can't do that right"?

"No he can't" Alaric said laughing out loud "speaking of… that… Meredith is having a hard time since she got back. It's been bad. She goes out and gets drunk and I don't know what happened but I do know that it is affecting her. I mean she had had a hard time with things before but this… it's different".

"You want me to talk to her" Elijah volunteered.

"If I told her she needed therapy she might just… dislocate everything on me".

They laughed even though it wasn't that funny.

It was odd Alaric was leaning on his friends, the friends he didn't have or even know two weeks ago they were his support system.

* * *

_Dear Diary,_  
_Normally the spouses of officers and spouses of those who were enlisted didn't really mix. They weren't stuck up about it or it wasn't that they refused to talk to each other it was just like a ladder really. They lived in different areas and lived separate lives but somehow the five of us had emerged together. We had befriended each other._

_We was here for one another._

_We were there for each other because in reality spouses of the enlisted or an officer our problems were the same. Our tears was all the same._

_In one way or another we had all through the same pain or would go through the same pain. That is what was holding us together._

_In a mere two weeks I had been married to Stefan...married into the army and in those two weeks I had found myself surrounded by better friends than i had in my whole life. We wasn't just five random people thrown together ironically or accidentally. It was on a purpose._

_And so a tribe was born._

* * *

**_So thanks for reading yet again. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much if you did please review...:) _**

**_Also I need a bit of help. My summary and the title of my story... I don't feel comfortable with... any suggestions...I don't want to go with Army wives because it isn't based on just wives...so...? _**


	3. Pain

_**Thanks for all the reviews and private messages :) It means so much to me...**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the submerging of my two favorite shows :) **_

* * *

She was there. She was seeing it all again. The place she had left or she thought she left. Meredith was standing there in the middle of a battle field running. She watched two of the soldiers she had trained and watched grow be shot and killed in front of her eyes.

Meredith would have to shed tears later. There was no time for it now. She was standing in the middle where guns were being shot and soldiers were being killed. Soldiers that she had personally known and some she didn't know.

When she came to face to face with the enemy instead of firing her weapon like she was trained to do she merely pushed him out of the way and his fall came with a loud noise.

Meredith was no longer in the middle of a battlefield but instead she was standing in her house in the dark at the top of the stairs. She was confused but her heart jumped at the sight of her husband unconscious at the bottom of the staircase.

"Ric" she screamed and rushed to his side fumbling with the phone to call an ambulance.

* * *

It was the time of morning when everyone was choosing to ignore their alarm clock because it was not only early but a Monday morning everyone except for Caroline. She had been up for twenty seven hours and counting.

It was as though she was the only person who worked at the hospital.

She walked through the halls checking on her patients and talking to nurses whatever kept her busy. It wasn't until she got too Lily Michelson's room that she had a reason to smile.

The young girl sat packed and ready to go home.

"You said I get to go home today" Lily reminded Caroline as though she could forget.

"Yes I did and you will" Caroline said "but not until I give the say so which might not happen until this afternoon and if something goes wrong it could be a few more days".

Lily threw herself back on to the bed angry of course.

"Why not"? She demanded looking at Caroline.

"Because you just had surgery less than twenty four hours ago" Caroline said crossing her arms "I know it sucks. I had a Cesarean delivery with my son and that hospital kept me for a week but I have to keep a close eye on you to make sure the wound isn't infected or the way you are adjusting to your pain medications there is many different factors. I just want to watch you and if all goes well I will discharge you at five tonight deal"?

Lily wasn't happy about it she obviously wanted to leave but she managed to say "deal" without rolling her eyes so that was something.

"Ok I will be back to check on you in an hour or two ok? Press the little button if you need anything" Caroline said on her way out.

* * *

Stefan looked at his wife and it wasn't a look the New York native normally supported.

Elena walked out of their bedroom wearing sweats and an oversized t-shirt her face was pale and she looked weak. She had bags beneath her eyes so big they had turned a shade of purple and black as though she hadn't slept in weeks.

It was definitely not a look he had seen on her.

And he was definitely worried about her.

"Elena" he asked rushing to her side "are you ok"? He felt of her forehead as though she had a cold but nothing.

"Yeah" she responded a little too quickly telling him it was a lie.

It was a lie but she told it for a reason. She didn't want to talk about it.

"If you want I can take Jeremy to his first day of school up here" Stefan offered his wife hoping to help in some way when he didn't know how to help at all.

Elena only nodded and walked back into their bedroom shutting and locking the door behind her which made it clear that she wanted to be alone right now.

It wasn't until Stefan turned around to see Jeremy standing next to the couch that he his worries for Elena dropped and they picked up with worries about the young teenager.

"You ready to go" Jeremy asked folding his arms "dad"?

* * *

There was one ring and then two followed by a third and a fourth before Ric heard the male voice he was calling answer "Elijah Sommers" he said.

"Hey" Ric said "I don't mean to interrupt you at work but I need you advise".

Ric hated to bring anyone else into his marital troubles but this wasn't just marital it was his wife's mental status that he was worried about.

"It's Meredith" he said the words out loud pressing a pack of peas to the back of his head and letting out a sharp breath when the cold bag hit the surface of his head. "We had a… incident last night. She was dreaming or… hell I don't know but she pushed me down the stairs."

"Are you ok"? Elijah asked sounding honestly worried for his friend.

"Yeah I went to the hospital just bruises… lots and sore but… anyways she didn't even know what she did until after. Elijah what do I do"?

"It happens to a lot of soldiers when they come home" Elijah said "PTSD".

"This isn't the first time she has deployed though".

"Ric they don't see the same thing every time something has traumatized her something she saw over there or did over there. Don't expect to understand it because you won't we can't understand it because we have never been through it but she does need help. Therapy of some kind she needs therapy but most soldiers refuse to admit that they need help so be easy on her ok"?

"Yeah".

Ric hung the phone up and sat down adjusting to the aches that ran through his body as he lay down on the couch shutting his eyes tightly.

A million things running through his mind as he attempted to sleep but found it impossible instead he found it easier to just lay there starring at the ceiling. Praying which wasn't something he did often or really do at all but it did seem to help.

* * *

Bonnie sat in the midst of the mess that was once her home but now it felt more like a dump site that she sat in with her two month old daughter that she constantly seemed to misplace in the mess.

Although Kaylee did seem to find a lot of joy in it she seemed to be able to make a toy out of everything most of which Bonnie had to instantly take away. Otherwise she would come back to her daughter choking on something home made with a banana peel or a glass polar bear which she had no idea where it came from.

"Knock, knock" Bonnie heard and looked up to see Caroline walking through the door and looked around at the mess before her "what the hell happened while I was at work? Did we have a hurricane or… Oh god did my kids do this? I am so sorry-".

"No" Bonnie said laughing at the frantic mother "no your kids were angels… sort of. Rebekah is living with us full time now she is moving in so I am making room. I am turning the laundry room into a nursery it will be small but she is a baby she doesn't exactly need a lot of room and all three boys will share a room so that she can have a room to herself. I figured she is a teenager and it's just easier than applying for bigger housing".

"Yeah I know how long that takes when we had Chandler we were living in a one bedroom with two kids… it was... horrible… I can't even describe just how awful but the waiting list normally takes six months to longer by the time we got a bigger house we were located here".

Bonnie laughed nodding her head as Caroline sat down on the couch kicking her feet up on some life sized doll that she prayed never belonged to Kol and grabbing the bag of pork rinds that was sitting in front of her that she quickly dug into.

"I swear I have seen more of that hospital than I have seen of schools to be able to work there" Caroline moaned leaning her head against the back of the couch "I feel like I am the only person who works there sometimes. While everyone was busy I ran just to be able to get lunch".

"It's nine in the morning" Bonnie pointed out before she came to realization "but you have been working for days… I forget that".

"Tell me what it's like to sleep" Caroline said as though it was a magical dream. "I mean they call me in on my day off I go to work and I don't care or I didn't when I wasn't having to toss my kids around like orangutans. I mean I had just got off yesterday when I came here then they call me back. It's because that damn Doctor Stewart is too lazy to go do it himself".

"Tell him that" Bonnie said "or tell him that you have to have weekends off I mean this is your kids".

"I would but I can't lose my job. No we don't need it we could live on what Tyler makes but I love my job I love to work… you know staying home all the time would drive me crazy.. I don't know how you do it".

"Well if you get bored just add a hormonal teenager to the mix it should liven things up" Bonnie said causing her friend to laugh.

Only a few moments passed before Caroline jumped up "ok that's it I can't take it" Caroline said "your cleaning skills suck. Now I have an hour before I have to be back at the hospital I can help you get ninety percent of it done between now and then. The best way to do it is east to west then north to south room by room then put everything in place".

* * *

Jeremy had never been the new kid on the block.

He attended the same school with the same friends his entire life with the exception of when he upgraded from grade school to middle school to high school. But during whatever transition he always had his friends were standing by his side.

It was really just a change of scenery.

It was obvious that everyone around him was used to seeing new kids on a daily basis or being the new kid because every single person that he passed in the hall greeted him nicely or waved.

Jeremy was definitely not in New York anymore. Everyone there didn't stop and have time for pleasantries they would shrug you off and go about their own business.

"Hey" Jeremy heard and looked to see Rebekah walking beside him. "Thank-God I know someone else I can't stand being the new kid. I have never done it before and I don't know how these kids do it all the time people keep coming up and talking to me like we are friends or… B.F.F's as I heard that one girl with the piggy tales say".

"You mean something like you are doing"? Jeremy asked looking at her.

"Don't be an ass you have less friends than I do I mean the whole school is already talking about the pot smoking dick with the New York accent and shoes that cost more than a house".

"Kind of like the blond stuck up Aussie bitch"?

"Touché" Rebekah said.

The two continued to walk together not that either wanted to but neither had a choice they hadn't exactly made friends.

"Hey" Anna yelled as they accidentally collided with the girl who dropped all of her things "pay attention much" she shot at the two?

"Umm… sorry" Rebekah replied it was obvious she wasn't really but that didn't matter or at least at the moment it didn't.

She waited a moment before she gave in and helped the girl. Jeremy just stood waiting his arms crossed making it pretty clear to the sexy blond who was glaring at him that he wasn't helping.

"I would say thank you but you caused that" Anna said as the two girls stood up and she stormed away from the two.

"Well that went smoothly" Jeremy commented. "Let's just get this day over with".

* * *

Caroline walked into Lily's room the one patient she seemed to see more of than anyone else and for the first time the young girl looked peaceful as she slept. It was the first time that Caroline had ever seen her resting but her father sat in the corner reading a newspaper and eating his lunch.  
"Hey" Caroline commented as the door shut behind her.  
"Hey" he replied quickly "how are you today"?  
"Same as I was yesterday… tired".  
Klaus nodded understanding as she looked over his daughters file.  
He was trying his hardest to be a good parent and she knew it. Caroline could see it in his eyes every day that he was at the hospital not that it was easy on him or anyone else.  
"You're a good father" Caroline said looking at him. "The way you worry about her I know how hard it is to be a single parent or sort of. My husband he is deployed and its hard having a full time job not being able to be there all the time but you… you are a really good father".  
Klaus wanted to smile but there really wasn't anything to be happy about.  
"Thank you that means a lot" he told the beautiful doctor. "Her mother was always good at this stuff I don't know how to do any of this. I mean she is a girl… you know? A teenaged girl who… I know the basics but really I know nothing about her. She is like a stranger in a way. I know that she is allergic to broccoli and very accident prone she listens to boy bands and heavy metal she wears pink skinny jeans with graphic t shirts that you buy at a rock concert but really I know nothing about her and I don't know how to do this".  
Caroline sat down the file in her hands looking at the broken father before joining him on the sofa in the corner.  
"You know ever since I was a kid I always had something to work for you know" Caroline asked looking at him. "First it was graduating high school then college and after that medical school so on… even getting pregnant with my two kids I was working for something. Now here I am almost thirty years old and I'm done. I am totally done. When I pictured this moment in my life I pictured myself happy. I am married with two beautiful kids and a husband who adores me but I'm not happy. I am the total opposite of happy Klaus".  
It was the first time that Caroline had said anything out loud to anyone about how she felt about her life and it made her want to cry. In fact a few tears did slip out of her eyes as she sat there knowing just how innapprioate she was being but that didn't stop her.  
"Klaus" she spoke his name as though it was liquor in her mouth "it is ok to be confused about what to do next or where to go or anything. The fact that you worry tells me that you care and it will be hard being a single father to a daughter of all things but it isn't impossible. She looks up to you. She adores and she loves you. Just take it day by day week by week and eventually… it will become easy or at lease easier hopefully you will work past your demons".  
"Is that what happened to you"? He asked cocking his head to the side looking at her  
She didn't need to answer but she had to answer not for Klaus a man that she had known for two or three weeks but for her. She had to say it out loud for herself.  
Caroline sighed looking into his blue eyes and said "not yet and it's not that I'm not happy during moments and it's not that I haven't tried to be happy it's that I can't and I don't know why. I know that I want to smile and spend days with my kids but actually it's not that simple. The only simple thing is that I want to spend all day and all night crying and I do. You know what I will tell you when I work past my demons but as of this moment we are just two lost puppies praying to be picked up by animal control".

* * *

Lunch now that was a class no matter where he was that Jeremy could pass despite eating alone. Or he wished he was eating alone. Rebekah sat in the empty seat next to him with her tray.

"This isn't a real lunch in fact it looks like it could just kill us" she commented observing the mess on her tray. "I mean… is it safe to eat"?

Jeremy ignored her as he continued to stuff his mouth with whatever it was that was on his tray.

"I will take that as a yes" Rebekah said but still hesitated before she took her first bite.

The two ate in silence not even looking at one another until the girl that they ran into, literally ran into earlier sat down across the table. Both Rebekah and Jeremywatched as she opened her boxed lunch which now seemed like the smarter thing to do than buy it.

"Anna" the girl introduced herself without even looking at either one of them "you must be new".

"Yeah" they both replied.

"When I say new I mean to the army…one of your parents get married or what… you two are what siblings… what's the story"?

"Siblings… you think we are siblings"? Jeremy asked sounding utterly disgusted by the thought of sharing blood with the blond sitting next to him. "My siblings are enough I don't plan to add Malibu Barbie here to the mix".

"Ignore him" Rebekah told the girl "but answering your question yes we are both new. We aren't siblings but neighbors… he lives with his sister who just married into the army and I just moved in with my brother who has been in the army for like eight or nine years. What about you"?

"My mom" Anna answered "she is the one in the army. My parents divorced six years ago and he married this precious daddy's girl who is like five years older than me. It's a real pain in the ass when my mom is deployed because I have to go to their house and use the bathroom in a toilet that has blue water".

It wasn't on purpose but it looked like Jeremy had just made two friends.

'It could be worse' he thought to himself as he ate the ice cream on his tray 'they could be dorks instead of two hot girls'.

The average teenage male's dream. It definitely could be worse.

"Rule number one to being an army brat" Anna noted "it doesn't matter where you are or what your guardian's rank is… which if you haven't caught on is important in every other little aspect, the food will always suck at school. Sure on the brochure's it looks like a grand fest but in reality I guarantee public school food is better".

"How many different schools have you been too" Jeremy asked her curiously.

"Not counting preschool and Kindergarten… ummm this is my seventh one I think" Anna responded to his question "army families move on average every two to three years sometimes more and sometimes less it depends really. Just one of the joys you have to look forward to".

Rebekah and Jeremy both looked at her nervously and then looked at one another neither of which knew what to say.

Neither of them wanted that kind of life for themselves.

Although it was different for each of the two at the same time they felt the same.

Rebekah unknowingly picked this life for herself over living with her aunt who made it clear that she wasn't wanted there came to her brother who she barely knew so she wouldn't have to live there.

Jeremy had no say in it. He didn't pick this life for himself and he never would have.

"I know. It sucks but you will come around trust me" Anna said. "When I first understood why it was that we moved around all the time or why my mom was gone so much… it was awful. I refused to talk to her and it was hard. But it's not all bad. I mean think of it like this in the military you get to move around and see things you wouldn't have got to see otherwise. I know how it feels being jerked away from your friends and your family but once you understand what this means and truly understand it… you won't feel so bad about being jerked away from school to school. In fact you won't even care".

Before Jeremy or Rebekah had the chance to even ask her what she meant the bell had rang and Anna jumped up quickly on her way to class which they wasn't sure they would even have with her. Either way they followed in suit on their way to their own class knowing if they didn't see her in the next minuet they would see her in the next hour or two. It wasn't like she could run forever.

This wasn't New York.

* * *

Kol walked into his house which for the first time since he brought boxes in was clean. It was surprising and it wasn't going to last until dinner but it was still shocking.

"Lunch is on the stove" he heard Bonnie call from down the hall.

As Kol began to fill his plate up with food Bonnie joined him and he quickly made his wife a plate as well before the couple sat down at the table.

"The house is clean… like really clean" he said still observing his house.

"You are looking at the handy dandy work of Caroline Lockwood" Bonnie told her husband "I mean you didn't honestly think that I could do this. She even made our kids a chore list it's on the fridge".

"You have weird friends".

"I have weird friends? Hey at least my friends wear pants".

The married couple shared a laugh together before turning to their food and continuing to eat.

Bonnie knew Kol had something on his mind which could mean one of two things she would somehow end up in Bennet homemade Volkswagen again and it would crash she would end up in the hospital or it was serious.

The seriousness is what scared her. She never knew what to expect really.

"So I have been thinking about something" Kol said interrupting the silence before Bonnie had the chance to build up the courage and ask. "I have been thinking of moving my mom over here. She is in a nursing home in Australia but… the thing is she is going to die and I am not going to be there for her unless she is close".

Kol watched as his wife slowly took that in.

"You want your mother to live with us" Bonnie asked her face twisted in so many different ways Kol wasn't sure how she felt.

"Well yeah" he replied "she is my mother Bonnie. She is my mother who doesn't deserve to have strangers taking care of her".

"Do you know why strangers have to take care of patients with Alzheimer's? Because they forget and not only can they endanger themselves but others. That is why they have to be with trained professionals ok. Not because you don't love her because I know that you do but they forget. They forget how old they are…they forget who the ones they love are if they can forget the big things they can forget the little things too. Like turning the stove on and forgetting it… taking care of someone with a disease like that is difficult Kol".

"She is my mother" Kol nearly yelled and it was obvious that he was angry.

"I know that and it's not that I don't love her because I do but just… I want you to think about this before we write anything in stone".

Kol leaned back in his chair avoiding eye contact with Bonnie as the two sat there neither continuing to eat. At this point neither of the two were hungry.

"I know that you want to" Bonnie said one last time "but look at it like this. Bringing her here will not hurt her but Kol it will hurt you and Rebekah. She is your mother and she will not recognize either of you some days. She won't know where she is or who she is with. I will do it if you want me to of course I will you are my husband but think about it first. Not just the difficulty that it will put me and her through because I will be taking care of her but you or Rebekah. Think about that".

Bonnie took her plate to the sink then left to continue her days work.

Kol listened to the words that his wife had said over and over in his head. She was his mother. She was the woman who had raised him.

How did Bonnie expect him to just walk away from this? How could he just walk away from this? He wouldn't walk away from Bonnie in her worst and he wouldn't walk away from his mother either.

This was the woman who nursed him when he was sick in bed. The woman who built him up when everyone around him had spent time trying to tear him down. He couldn't just walk away.

* * *

Ric hadn't moved from the couch in hours it hurt to even consider lifting a finger. Sure he had no broken bones but he had never been so sore in all his life. The longer he stayed still the worse it felt when he tried to move so instead he just didn't.

'Falling down a stair case can really take it out of you' he thought to himself.

He hadn't even tore his eyes away from the ceiling fan above his head until he heard the door open and close. He looked to see his wife walking into the living room with a to go bag in one hand and a drink in the other.

"I brought you a burger, fries, and a shake" Meredith said "it's your favorite".

Meredith felt bad in fact she felt awful about what she did but she wasn't one to show weakness even with her husband.

"Thanks" he said showing no interest in it for the time being. "I talked to Elijah and he thinks-".

"You told someone about this" Meredith snapped looking at her husband in shock. "I thought we agreed to keep it between us. I mean I know… it was bad but if someone were to find out-".

"Meredith he isn't going to tell anyone but he thinks you need help. Proffessinal help and I happen to agree with him".

"You want me to get help? It was just a little bad dream".

"No it wasn't" Ric nearly screamed at her "a bad dream doesn't come to life".

"So I sleep walk a little".

"You never did before and I understand that this is hard for you but you need help. You need help now. I am ok but you could hurt herself that is what I worry about".

Meredith shook her head and it was pretty damn obvious that she was angry with him but she couldn't show it the way she wanted. I mean she did just push him down the stairs in her sleep.

"I get why you are worried and that is ok" Meredith said clenching her teeth doing all that she could not to scream at him. "But you don't need to be. I am ok. I don't need help. I am sorry that I pushed you down the stairs I didn't mean to. I will take some sort of medication to help sleeping walking but other than that I am fine".

Meredith stormed to the kitchen.

She knew she wasn't fine and even worse than that Ric knew it. He knew that something was wrong with his wife and that scared him.

* * *

Jeremy, Anna, and Rebekah walked side by side by… well, side as the three left the school parking lot after what felt like one of the worst days of his life. Although he knew it wasn't true. He knew that today was a bad day but not for the reasons he thought.

They continued to walk together talking about whatever it was that teenagers who barely knew each other talked about until the sound of a horn blowing caught their attention. All three turned to the sound only to find Jeremy's brand new brother-in-law Damon whom he seemed to like better than Stefan pulling up beside them.

"Hop in" Damon told him.

"See ya New York" Anna taunted him.

"See you I guess" Jeremy said to the two girls hoping into the convertible secretly wondering how someone with military pay could afford it as he drove away.

"Stefan asked me to pick you up" Damon explained "he is running late and your sister isn't feeling all too well I guess".

Jeremy only nodded.

Damon clearly didn't know what to say to the young boy instead he just drove hoping that something would come up because he was not comfortable with awkward silence. Not his thing. Another thing he wasn't comfortable with. Teenagers which is why he secretly reminded himself to punch his brother the next chance he got.

"Nice car" Jeremy commented "Is it a 1967"?

"No it's a 1969 Chevy Camaro Convertible".

"Sweet".

Damon was going to regret this. He just knew he was but he couldn't help it.

"Why are you giving your sister such a hard time" he asked bluntly "I know that it sucks being drug where you don't want to be. That's cool but your my family now and rebelling I understand ok but what you are doing is wrong".

"I don't want to talk about it" Jeremy said "and it's not your business anyways".

"Sorry but that brush off… that ain't going to cut it with me".

"You wouldn't understand ok".

"How do you know that I wouldn't? How do you know that I don't know exactly what you are going through? Hmmm. So why don't you try me"?

Jeremy continued to play with a stray string on his jeans before taking a breath and said "it hurts ok I miss my friends and everyone. I don't want to be selfish about it. I want Elena to be happy but it is one thing to just…move ok but I grew up in New York and moving to the… south I guess is one big adjustment. I not only was moved to a place where I know no one but I am living with a stranger and I know he is your brother but I don't know him. I don't want to know him. I miss my home, my old hand out place, and my friends the friends I grew up with. I liked it there and I had a friend. My girlfriend we talked when things got bad and I can't even call her because it's long distance. It is just a big adjustment maybe not for Elena but she isn't going to school with a bunch of strangers she made a friend within the first day we was here. Our neighbor Bonnie and it's just tough is all".

"You probably don't know this but Stefan and I grew up in the army too" Damon told him "it is hard. Every time you make a friend or get settled or whatever it is you move and it doesn't get easier. I am not asking you to accept this or to be ok with it… with Stefan but think of it like this. Do you know what we do"?

Jeremy knew that they were in the army he knew that they were soldiers but he didn't know what that entailed, no one really could until they lived it. They could be there but they never would understand it all.

"We fight. We fight for our country it took me years to understand why my father did what he did and I always lashed out because we moved around so much but what Stefan does, what I do, what Kol does… hell even Lexi… it matters. It all makes a difference and you won't understand that, you can't until you deploy something Stefan has yet to do and when he does then he will understand. But the thing is… you can't pretend to be ok with it. At least not right now" the dark haired man told him.

Damon pulled up next to his brother's house and put the car in park before shutting it off. He took a deep breath trying to figure out just the words to say to him.

"You have to know something. Being in the military is a team sport. Believe it or not it is. When we are over there one of the things that keeps us going is the fact that we have our family over here cheering us on and you will soon learn the aspects of that really in depth. It hurts right and it sucks but this is what is happening in your life. You need to accept it because your sister has to be here for her husband and you have to be here for her".

What Damon had said he knew helped in some way but not entirely.

It doesn't mean that moving and being away from everything Jeremy ever knew would be easier but it had made somewhat of an impact on the teenager.

* * *

Kol sat in the porch swing next to his wife and she looked him already knowing just what he had to say or wanted to say.

"I can't" Kol said "I can't leave her over there. She has to be with us. She has to Bon I know that it will be difficult for me but with you here to hold my hand I know that I can do it. Please".

"We already have four kids and a teenager now you want to add an elderly woman to the mix that is ill. Really ill" Bonnie asked "I want you to think what you are asking of me. You won't have to do anything it will be me Kol. I will have to take care of her".

Kol nodded it was clear he had went over every single choice there was. It was clear that he had thought of that but he knew what he was asking of her. He knew what they were about to embark in but he also knew Bonnie. He knew what she could handle and couldn't handle.

"Ok" Bonnie said regretting the words as she spoke them. "I will but if it gets to be too much I-".

"It won't" Kol said a little too eagerly.

Rebekah walked up on the porch to find her brother smiling but her sister in law not so much. That meant few things.

"Looks like mom is coming to live with us" Kol said smiling but he didn't receive the same enthusiasm back from his sister.

He didn't know why she wasn't more thrilled but Bonnie did. Or at least she understood that Rebekah had seen her mother how she was. She knew what it was like whereas Kol didn't. It was why she had come thousands and thousands of miles away from the torture of seeing her mother in that way.

"Cool" Rebekah said before turning to Bonnie "I assumed you would be with Elena I mean aren't you two like best friends"?

"Well she is sick today".

"No" Rebekah said shaking her head "today is the day her parents died years ago… Jeremy told me".

Bonnie sat forward not able to believe the words that was coming from the young girl.

* * *

Elena laid in her bed feeling somewhat crippled unable to move from the spot she was in but she sat listening to the knocking on the door waiting for whoever it was to leave but instead the door that closed her away from the door opened. Standing there was Caroline, Bonnie, Elijah, and Alaric all three looking at her like she was a preterm baby who didn't have a fighting chance.

Elena didn't know how they opened the door but she didn't really care she was happy that they were here. Not that it mattered. It wouldn't help.

All four of them sat in her bed in one way or another.

"Honey why didn't you tell us about it"? Caroline asked rubbing her friends back.

"Would it have made a difference" Elena asked between sobs "would it have brought them back? No. So I don't like to talk about it".

"Not to sound cliché… but talking helps" Elijah said.

Elena hadn't talked about it with her husband or her brother or even April someone who she had known for years. It seemed ridiculous to talk about it with people who were basically strangers but it felt ok. She felt fine to talk to them about it.

Despite her tears she felt better with them here.

"They came to get me and my sister" Elena said tears strolling down her eyes as she laid her head in Bonnie's lap. "We went to a party and they had to come and get us… it was their date night so… so Jeremy was with the sitter and we went to a party. One minuet I am bitching at my dad for no reason at all really other than the fact that I was a spoiled brat… he turned around for one second… just one second that's it to tell me to shut up and we got hit. Katherine and me walked away barley a scratch but my parents died… my mom was killed on impact and my dad died on the way to the hospital".

"Elena it is not your fault" Alaric told her "it couldn't be. You know that right? I mean you lived in New York of all places that place is notoriously known for car accidents".

Elena nodded unable to stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks and she couldn't control the sobbing from her chest as she sat up "I do now. But I didn't then. All I knew is my dad turned around to yell at me and then he was dead" she said before looking at Alaric and asked "what the hell happened to you? You look like Chucky during the third movie".

"My wife pushed me down the stairs in her sleep but won't admit she needs help".

"I can beat that" Bonnie said "my mother in law with Alzheimer's is moving because the out of control teenager and four kids that I have isn't enough".

They all laughed at Bonnie as she threw her head back and screamed.

"Well you can't say your life is boring" Caroline teased "at least you have something to keep you busy… I however get to live with the fact that I have everything a girl could want you know great paying job, an awesome husband… kids who I adore… but I can't find happiness in any of it. I had postpartum depression with Sophie but this… knowing that I have everything I ever wanted and not being happy is awful and I feel guilty and… I just… all I want is to be happy".

"Well aren't you four a hip happening bunch" Elijah teased them.

They all laughed at what he said. If it was sincerely or not no one really knew but in some way or another they found what he said funny. They found something funny in all the pain of their life for the day they found humor in their life for the first time in what felt like a long time… the longest time. They five laughed together when truly they had nothing to laugh about.

_Dear Diary,_

_When you think about pain the first thing that comes to your mind is physical pain right? The aches and the sores that come after you have had surgery or fallen off a bike or got hurt in some way. That is what crosses your mind when you hear the word "pain"._

_Most people forget about the rest of the pain. The pain you can't see or touch but you can only feel._

_Like the pain that comes with grief, loosing someone forever and knowing you will never see them again that pain that comes from the brokenness of seeing someone die and knowing in some way or another you could have prevented it._

_Or the heart break you get from missing someone and having your entire life change before you had the time to adapt._

_The hurt you get from being scared or traumatized in some way. Seeing something that you can't erase from you mind knowing that you can't run from._

_Or watching someone you love and care about go through something but refusing to admit that they are the one that is hurting._

_The pain that you get when you have achieved everything you ever wanted but can't find anything in your life that makes you happy._

_The brokenness that you get when you want to make someone happy but are willing to sacrifice your wellbeing to make them happy to give it all up knowing the difficulty that comes with your own sacrifice._

_Pain comes in many different forms. It hurts. There are two things that is guaranteed with pain no matter what kind it is. It gets easier as time goes on but no matter what… pain hurts like a bitch._

* * *

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_**And tell me what you would like to see... I love hearing what you think or what you want...I take it all into consideration when writing... and the reviews...they mean so much... :)**_


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